The class of Matthew Pavlich made the difference as Fremantle beat the Western Bulldogs by 38 points in a dour struggle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The Dockers captain booted 6.2 with both behinds coming from posters and, with the help of four goals from Chris Mayne, Fremantle came away with the win by 14.11 (95) to 8.9 (57).

Fremantle forward Hayden Ballantyne told Grandstand that coach Ross Lyon was not satisfied with his side's performance after the first half.

"We had some stern words at half-time, we needed to pull our fingers out," he said.

"Just pressing up, pressing forward, and just hemming them in our forward 50, trying to keep it in there.

"If we do turn it over, we turn it over to our advantage and get it back in."

Pavlich has now kicked 23 goals in the last five games, with at least three goals in each game.

Ballantyne said the burden was on all the team to lift in the second half of the year, not just the captain.

"I wouldn't say that he holds the key (to Fremantle playing finals) we've all got to do our jobs," he said.

"But he's having a pretty good month, and it would be good if he could handball a couple off to me!"

It was shaping as a typical Ross Lyon-devised defensive contest when the home side led 2.3 to 1.2 after the opening quarter.

The Bulldogs hit back in the second term, and hit the front halfway through the quarter with a goal to small forward Tory Dickson, but the Dockers finished the half the stronger to go in three points up at the long break.

Pavlich kick-started his team's challenge in the third quarter, booting two goals in the first four minutes.

The Dockers threatened to run away with the game, but despite having a six goal to three quarter, the Bulldogs stayed in touch and when Dickson kicked a goal after the siren, the visitors were within 22 points and still in with a chance.

It was a tough start to the final quarter, with both sides struggling to generate scoring opportunities.

But finally when the ball came forward for Fremantle, Pavlich burst onto the ball, switched a handball to Stephen Hill, who found Chris Mayne near the right-hand point post.

Mayne bent the ball round for a crucial goal.

The Bulldogs could not make any further impression, and late on Pavlich laid a tackle inside forward 50 and popped the ball out to Mayne who kicked his fourth of the match before Hill grabbed another from 50.

Finally Pavlich kicked his sixth to send the crowd home happy.

The Bulldogs are now realistically out of finals contention, while Fremantle evened its record at 7-7 to stay in the hunt for a finals spot.

Fremantle will play the Demons at Docklands next weekend. The Bulldogs will have a tough task against Hawthorn.

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